The beer is very limited with only six barrels produced: two at Waikiki Brewing Company, two at their new Kaka'ako location, one at Village Bottle Shop, and one at Murphy's Bar; once it's gone, it's gone. It's served not super cold
Saturday marked a quiet first anniversary for argueably the best place
to buy and drink beer in Honolulu, Village Bottle Shop & Tasting Room in SALT at Kaka'ako. It's sincerely hard to believe it's only been a
year, I feel like I've been coming here much longer. The staff here is
second to none in both beer knowledge, friendliness, and
professionalism. 
Barely a week has gone by and I see Honolulu Beerworks is releasing
some new beers. We had already planned an afternoon in Kaka'ako, so
naturally we started at Beerworks. Coming in on a Saturday, it was busy
and lively. The bartenders were friendly as always. At a loll in the
beermongering, I asked for them to look for my koozie. Third time was a
charm! They located it in the "rejects" section and I was happy to have
it back for future visits!
The people here are great; the bartenders always friendly. Be sure to look behind the bar for the long list of upcoming and brewing beers; there's always something for which to look forward. All their beers change so frequently you'd never get to try them all - good luck having a favorite, you'll never see the exact recipe again. Each beer is named by the staff while tasting, displayed on chalk board signs above the bar. They usually have eight to ten beers. Recently, they got into sake and kombucha as well (for me, I appreciate the Star Wars named sake and Game of Thrones named kombucha). They have growlers and crowlers, which is the only way to take their wares to go. But it's most fun to have it here; sip, play a game, come to trivia or painting night.
I hadn't been in in three weeks or so, so I knew I was behind. Tonight we tried four new brews: two IPAs, a stout, and a porter. All are excellent. This is a must experience for anyone on vacation and locals alike. Be sure to check out the art wall and bring a brewery sticker to cover the restroom walls!
There is no greater enabler to encourage more drinking of beer than the app Untappd. With their slogan of "Drink Socially," you'll never be without a drinking buddy again! A few years ago, one of my best drinking buddies introduced me to the app. Alas, my phone couldn't really support it so it went aside for a while. When I upgraded, I thought I'd give it another go and haven't looked back since.
As time goes on the features and nuances of the app improve, but the main idea stays the same: It's your record of drinking with a rating, comment, friend tagging, serving method, and location. For a collector like me, it's an impossible task. When it comes to beer, what do you save? Bottles and cans that just pile up and collect dust? Bottle caps that are hard to display? For me, it's the picture and a memory.
For a practical reason, it's great to have a record of what you enjoyed, or more importantly, what you didn't. You get to cheers friends and see what they're drinking and recommend. Take a risk and try something the app recommends for you. See what the most popular beers are in your area, on vacation, and find breweries nearby.
More than anything else, what enables and encourages me are the badges. There are thousands of little colorful stamps you receiving for trying different styles, checking in at various venues, and special badges sponsored by breweries, events, and cities. The designs are fantastic and it's always fun to receive a new one. Not everyone loves the badges, but they're a fun memento (and apps need to make money to bring free content). Keep a look out for sponsored contests like they've had in the past with Sierra Nevada, Goose Island, and currently with Oskar Blues. With a passionate user base, beers are always up to date (or feel free to edit). If you want to go the extra mile after you discover what a useful tool it is, become an Untappd Supporter. If you're looking for a new friend, feel free to add me and drink together! Untappd: alexanderbgates
